# Making the switch to boveda



## yellot00tr (Feb 7, 2013)

Have to say i learned something oretty cool over here. I've been using heartfelt beads for a lil while now, but i decided to make the change to boveda packs. Read that the boveda packs can be recharged-first i heard that. Not sure why, but for whatever reason, my 65% beads always hold at 67. Hygro is def calibrated properly. My main reason for making the change is the space issue. I have xl tubes & l in my hums (diamond crown st james 160, dc windsor 160, & cohiba carbon fiber 75-the dc's have 1xl & 1l. while the cohiba gas an xl) and they just take too much space up. All three humidors have a tray with openings on the bottom of the humidor so air can circulate underneath, so i'm gonna stick the packs underneath them, and also put some on the boveda cedar holder attached to the lid. My only concern w the boveda was that they'd get expensive, but since u can rcharge them,it's a no brainer now.


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## nfusion770 (Apr 1, 2011)

I like both products. Just wondering if you have checked out heartfelt sheets- just another option.


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## yellot00tr (Feb 7, 2013)

The heartfel beads are the ones i'm actually switching from to the boveda packs. I have the beads in their tubes, which were taking up a lot of space. I ended up selling most of the beads


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## nfusion770 (Apr 1, 2011)

yellot00tr said:


> The heartfel beads are the ones i'm actually switching from to the boveda packs. I have the beads in their tubes, which were taking up a lot of space. I ended up selling most of the beads


Just to be clear I am talking about their sheet product. Designed to address the space issue while maintaining the benefits of beads. Link

It doesn't matter though, Boveda is a great product.


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## BowhuntnHoosier (Dec 17, 2012)

Can the Boveda packs be placed directly on top of cigars in humidors???


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## nfusion770 (Apr 1, 2011)

BowhuntnHoosier said:


> Can the Boveda packs be placed directly on top of cigars in humidors???


That's how they are often shipped so I don't see why not.


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## jazzboypro (Jul 30, 2012)

yellot00tr said:


> Have to say i learned something oretty cool over here. I've been using heartfelt beads for a lil while now, but i decided to make the change to boveda packs. Read that the boveda packs can be recharged-first i heard that. Not sure why, but for whatever reason, my 65% beads always hold at 67. Hygro is def calibrated properly. My main reason for making the change is the space issue. I have xl tubes & l in my hums (diamond crown st james 160, dc windsor 160, & cohiba carbon fiber 75-the dc's have 1xl & 1l. while the cohiba gas an xl) and they just take too much space up. All three humidors have a tray with openings on the bottom of the humidor so air can circulate underneath, so i'm gonna stick the packs underneath them, and also put some on the boveda cedar holder attached to the lid. My only concern w the boveda was that they'd get expensive, but since u can rcharge them,it's a no brainer now.


Been looking into that myself in the past few days, i got 2 humis and both are full, i'm thinking of making a coolidor for my next cigar storage. I first looked at Boveda packs but the website clearly states that they can't be recharged. I also read somewhere that they can be recharded. The question is do they work as good if you recharge them ? How many times can you recharge them ? I would like as much as possible to minimize the amount of money i spent on humidification control systems and put more money on the cigars lol.

Since i plan on using a fairly large collidor, i don't think space will be an issue and i'll settle for beads, i just don't know if i will buy HF or HCM beads, HF seems to sell for a bit less than HCM but i don't know which of the two work best.


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## yellot00tr (Feb 7, 2013)

i've read that some people have recharged them for up to 2 years without issue. technically, they're still good and usable for 2 years when you buy them. the reason for that is because they're in a sealed plastic bag, all the humidity remains in the bag. since they're 2 way humidity devices and will absorb or give off humidity based on need, there's no reason why they can't be recharged. all you have to do is to let them reabsorb humidity when they begin to go dry. i would probably disregard what it says on the boveda site in terms of not being able to rehumidify them-if u do that, they can't sell you more of them. i got 40 of them. what i'm gonna do is use 18 of them, and then recharge those for a few days when they go dry and use the other pack i bought. i also got the boveda cedar holders as well. since all my humidors have the tray at the bottom with slits in them, i'm gonna place 3 underneath the tray, and then 2 in the cedar holder. i'm attaching the cedar holder with magents to the lid bc all of the humidors have steel plates under the lid as well. my other diamond crown humidors are the older models so they don't have the steel under the lids, so for those humidors, i'm just gonna place the packs on each side. it's def ok for cigars to be touching them. if u've ever gotten cigars shipped with the boveda packs from a place like serious cigars, you'll see that they just throw the pack in and it's never an issue letting them touch the cigars. just don't use them if the packs are broken anywhere bc it'll leave salt all over the cigars.


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## CarnivorousPelican (Jan 25, 2013)

yellot00tr said:


> i've read that some people have recharged them for up to 2 years without issue. technically, they're still good and usable for 2 years when you buy them. the reason for that is because they're in a sealed plastic bag, all the humidity remains in the bag. since they're 2 way humidity devices and will absorb or give off humidity based on need, there's no reason why they can't be recharged. all you have to do is to let them reabsorb humidity when they begin to go dry. i would probably disregard what it says on the boveda site in terms of not being able to rehumidify them-if u do that, they can't sell you more of them. i got 40 of them. what i'm gonna do is use 18 of them, and then recharge those for a few days when they go dry and use the other pack i bought. i also got the boveda cedar holders as well. since all my humidors have the tray at the bottom with slits in them, i'm gonna place 3 underneath the tray, and then 2 in the cedar holder. i'm attaching the cedar holder with magents to the lid bc all of the humidors have steel plates under the lid as well. my other diamond crown humidors are the older models so they don't have the steel under the lids, so for those humidors, i'm just gonna place the packs on each side. it's def ok for cigars to be touching them. if u've ever gotten cigars shipped with the boveda packs from a place like serious cigars, you'll see that they just throw the pack in and it's never an issue letting them touch the cigars. just don't use them if the packs are broken anywhere bc it'll leave salt all over the cigars.


There is probably two parts of the boveda's that are breaking down over time. The RO film and whatever gel they have. I would love to know what kind of gel they are using etc.. Someone needs to cut one open take a sample of the gel put it in a test tube and send it off to be analyzed  I know you can buy the RO film ( not cheap) in large flat sheets that you could make packets or pouches out of... You could make a massive boveda pack but I don't know if they would have limits or various other variables for different sizes...


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## yellot00tr (Feb 7, 2013)

i've had one open on me and it's not a gel. it's just water with salt i believe.


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## CarnivorousPelican (Jan 25, 2013)

yellot00tr said:


> i've had one open on me and it's not a gel. it's just water with salt i believe.


 I have a few packs never opened one up before. What color was the solution just like water no color to it?


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## BowhuntnHoosier (Dec 17, 2012)

nfusion770 said:


> That's how they are often shipped so I don't see why not.


Just wondered about long term if it would over humidify the ones it was laying on??


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## jurgenph (Jun 29, 2011)

the liquid inside a boveda pack is clear.
i discovered that after i received a shipment that got damaged 

i recently recharged a pack that i had forgotten about, and left outside of my humidor.
it was dry and hard as a rock.
put it in a tupperware box, with a little jar of water next to it.
a week or three later, most of the water was inside the boveda pack, and it felt just like new.


J.


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## alecshawn (Jun 24, 2012)

Boveda packs are the BEST. You cant mess up humidity witht them and i use the 72% in my humidor. I put 3 in close lid and forget about it. They last 3 months just as advertised and as long as your cigars are kept in the proper TEMPERATURE range...then no worries at all with the boveda packs. For small to say 500 ct. humidors they beat the pants off of beads.


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## CarnivorousPelican (Jan 25, 2013)

For something like a Wineador how many large boveda packs (60 gram) would be required? You guys just storing them for long term in a tupperware with moisture ( whatever method doesnt matter)? Because I am finding buying in bulk whole sale is cheapest or buying bulk retail is lower. Just wondering how to store them long term and there wouldn't be no mold situations storing them in a tupperware with glass of water inside?

I have a 281E which I measure the inside 24" by 14" estimated...


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## piperdown (Jul 19, 2009)

CarnivorousPelican said:


> For something like a Wineador how many large boveda packs (60 gram) would be required? You guys just storing them for long term in a tupperware with moisture ( whatever method doesnt matter)? Because I am finding buying in bulk whole sale is cheapest or buying bulk retail is lower. Just wondering how to store them long term and there wouldn't be no mold situations storing them in a tupperware with glass of water inside?
> 
> I have a 281E which I measure the inside 24" by 14" estimated...


I'm a fan of Boveda packs, have a link to recharging here http://www.cigarforums.net/forums/v...ssion/307723-recharging-humidity-devices.html and here http://www.cigarforums.net/forums/v.../314018-recharging-dry-stiff-boveda-pack.html

That being said I'm not sure if I would use Boveda packs in a wineador. I guess you could but for the cabinet I have planned I'll either use HCM beads or try out kitty litter. Just a guess but I'd think you'd need about two packs per shelf in a wineador and I'm not sure that they could keep up with the condensation in states like yours. Most guys I know are using KL in wineadors because it's cheap and helps to control the condensation that happens in the hot humid months.


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## jazzboypro (Jul 30, 2012)

Eric,

Been thinking about HCM beads VS HF beads. Yesterday, i bought a 70 QT cooler which is roughly 4000 cubic inches. According to HCM website, this would require 7.4 ounces of beads and as suggested on that site let double that quantity so I'll so round it up to 16 ounces. Again, according to the website, 2x8 ounces bag of canister would cost 50$.

I did the same on HF website. Their biggest tube will accommodate 2000 cubic inches so i need 2 to cover my needs and 2 more if i'm following their suggestion so i would have to buy 4 tubes at 22.27$/tube for a total of 89$

Why such a big difference in price ? Are HF a lot better than HCM ? Since the 2 products are for the same purpose i really don't know which to chose and that price difference makes me wonder !!!


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## sh40218 (Oct 26, 2012)

I've used Boveda packs since I started smoking cigars years ago. I recharge them often and use 72% without any burn issues. Try them and you will be hooked plus your cigars will thank you. My packs are for various desktop humi's, anything larger and I would consider another method. Maybe you can supplement Boveda and another humi source like beads or gels?


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## piperdown (Jul 19, 2009)

jazzboypro said:


> Eric,
> 
> Been thinking about HCM beads VS HF beads. Yesterday, i bought a 70 QT cooler which is roughly 4000 cubic inches. According to HCM website, this would require 7.4 ounces of beads and as suggested on that site let double that quantity so I'll so round it up to 16 ounces. Again, according to the website, 2x8 ounces bag of canister would cost 50$.
> 
> ...


If I'm the 'Eric' you're referring to.........
You're paying a premium for the tube. 1 pound (16 ounces) of beads is $34, add on shipping and you're maybe around $40. 1 pound of beads spread evenly throughout a 70 quart cooler is plenty. Instead of using the fancy tubes use a small plastic container and drill holes in the lid or get some panty hose and use the feet or visit a pet store and get some of their inexpensive mesh bags to hold the HF.
I don't have personal experience with the HCM beads but some guys on here who I really trust and have large collections have started to switch over the past year or so to HCM. From what they have said the HCM responds faster than the HF beads and can be 'trained' to a desired rH. They also hold a lot more water so they can release and absorb a larger quantity of rH.
Then you also have the BOTL that are using kitty litter in coolers. Takes a bit of playing to get it right but once it's set it's fairly simple to maintain also.
About the HCM versus HF, they are different systems. While they are both called beads they are completely different (except for both being round) and work on different principles.


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## asmartbull (Aug 16, 2009)

jazzboypro said:


> Eric,
> 
> Been thinking about HCM beads VS HF beads. Yesterday, i bought a 70 QT cooler which is roughly 4000 cubic inches. According to HCM website, this would require 7.4 ounces of beads and as suggested on that site let double that quantity so I'll so round it up to 16 ounces. Again, according to the website, 2x8 ounces bag of canister would cost 50$.
> 
> ...


I know many collectors that are going to HCM...The big difference is how fast and how much moisture that can absorb..On a side note, Boveda packs are not rechargeable indefinitely. After they get old, it can talk months to get them to recharge which also means they don't absorb excess rh as they once did. These are made for small desktop hummies...


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## jazzboypro (Jul 30, 2012)

You are the Eric i was refering to, thanks for the answer, HCM it will be. Got one more question. HCM beads comes in bags or canisters (same price). It seems to me that the bags have more beads exposed to air when compared to canisters and i tend to think that it's a good thing. Do you think that bags are preferable to canisters ?

Thanks


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## asmartbull (Aug 16, 2009)

jazzboypro said:


> You are the Eric i was refering to, thanks for the answer, HCM it will be. Got one more question. HCM beads comes in bags or canisters (same price). It seems to me that the bags have more beads exposed to air when compared to canisters and i tend to think that it's a good thing. Do you think that bags are preferable to canisters ?
> 
> Thanks


Surface area is your friend..


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## piperdown (Jul 19, 2009)

asmartbull said:


> Surface area is your friend..


^^ and there you go! asmartbull is one of many BOTL I go to answers for.


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## yellot00tr (Feb 7, 2013)

i've actually made the change already and i'm using 5 bovedas (all 69%) in the 160ct humidors, and only 2 in the 75ct humidor. one of the 160s is holding at 67% and the other 160 is holding at 65%. the 75ct is holding at 66%. i have to say that i'm pretty happy with it. i have to see how long they're gonna last before having to change them out. if i can get 6-8wks out of it and then have to rehydrate them, i can live with that. i picked up 2 bulk packs with 20 each, so i can swap them out, rehydrate them, and then pop them back in. i tried the beads, but they ended up taking up so much space. with the boveda packs, i stick 3 under the tray at the bottom of the humidor, and then put two inside the boveda cedar holders on the lid and i'm good to go.


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## jazzboypro (Jul 30, 2012)

piperdown said:


> ^^ and there you go! asmartbull is one of many BOTL I go to answers for.


Just wrote to the manufacturer to see what they have to say about it, since bags and canisters are the same price and hold the same quantity of beads i guess they don't have any reason to push one over the other, maybe they both offer the same surface. I'll wait for their answer and then i'll order.


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## jazzboypro (Jul 30, 2012)

Ok, got the answer back from the manufacturer, here's what he had to say:

"Hi Sylvain,



Your assessment is correct: the bags offer more surface area and therefore react a little faster to RH changes. However, in the typical desktop humidor you would not be able to detect a difference.



If your humidor is crowded the bags are a little easier to fit into the available space.



Michael Edelman

HCMCigarBeads.com

Like HCM Cigar Beads on Facebook"


I guess a coolidor does not fall into the "typical desktop humidor" category, so the bags appear to be the way to go, but i always read that cigars do not like rapid RH or temp swings so in that respect canisters seems the way to go. I think is probably right when he says that the difference between the two won't be noticeable. Since i need 2 i think i will order one of each, i'll put the bag at the bottom and i could suspend the canister to a string from the inside of the cover of the coolidor.


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## Jay_Rich (Feb 26, 2013)

I am waiting for my Boveda's also. So far I am liking the crystals I have, but figured I would be a follower and buy some lol

Jay


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